Tug of war apparatus



March 2, 1965 o. v. swANsoN TUG OF WAR APPARATUS Filed June 4. 1962 MM WW 5, N. .7 w4 R United States Patent 5,171,654 TUG 9F WAR APEARATUS Oscar V. Swmison, 30? Beaver Ave, York, Nehr. Filed June 4, 1962, er. No. 199,877 (Ziaims. (Cl. 273-1) My invention relates to playground equipment and more panticularly to a device utilizing the principles of the familiar game called tug-of-war. This ageless contest is usually conducted by two teams who grasp opposite ends of a single rope and try to pull the opposing team over a predetermined goal which separates the two teams.

Therefore, a principal object of my invention is to provide a playground device that can mechanically incorporate the tug-of-war concept.

A further object of my invention is to provide a playground device that will provide a signal when. the winning team has displaced the other team a sutficient distance to score a victory.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a playground device that is safe to operate by small children.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a playground device that is stable and can resist displacement and overturning.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a playground device that is economical of manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of my device in a neutral position;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of my device with the flag units removed to more fully illustrate its construction;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of my device taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional View of my device as viewed on line 4$ of FEGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of my device when the pendulum has been moved to a scoring position.

I have used the numerals it) and 12 to designate a pair of elongated poles that have their lower ends spaced apart with their upper ends converging towards each other. A triangular gusset plate 14 engages the upper ends of poles it and 12. Nut and bolt assemblies 16 extend through plate 14 and poles iii and 12 to secure the upper ends of the poles together. The apex 18 of plate 1 extends beyond the upper ends of the poles.

A second pair of poles 2t and 22 are disposed with respect to each other in a manner similar to poles and 12. Poles 2%) and 22 are secured together at their upper ends by gusset plate 2 and nut and bolt assemblies as. The apex 28 of plate 24 extends above the upper ends of the poles 2t and 22. The lower ends of the poles it and 12 are spaced apart from the lower ends of poles 2t) and 22, and the lower ends of all the poles can be embedded in the ground 30. The upper ends of the two pairs of poles extend towards each other and are joined by horizontal pin 32 which extends between the apex 13 ice of plate 14- and apex 28 of plate 24. Horizontal bar 34 connects the lower portions of poles It? and 2t). Similarly, horizontal bar 36 connects the lower ends of poles l2 and 22. Eyelets 38 can be welded or otherwise secured to the centers of bars 34 and 36.

A circular bearing element 38 is rotatably mounted on pin 32 and is centered thereon by spacer elements 40 which are also mounted on pin 32 adjacent each side of the bearing element. A pendulum element 4-2 extends downwardly from bearing element 38 and includes a rod 44 which is welded or otherwise secured by one of its ends -to the bearing element. A bracket 46 comprised of oppositely disposed plates 48 is secured by bolts 50 to the lower end of rod 44. Plates 48 are in a plane parallel to the plane of pivotal movement of rod 44 as it pivots about pin 32. Pulleys 52 and 54 are rotatably secured by pins 55 to opposite ends of bracket 46 between plates 48. A flexible rope 56 is secured by one of its ends to the eyelet 39 on bar 34. Rope 56 extends from bar 34 inwardly where it is threaded upwardly and half way around pulley 52 on bracket 46. The rope 56 then extends outwardly between poles 1 and 20 and over bar 34. A flexible rope 58 has one of its ends secured to eyelet 39 on bar 36, and then extends inwardly where it is threaded half way around pulley 54 on bracket 46. Rope 58 then extends outwardly over bar 36 and in between poles 12 and 22.

A stud shaft 6% extends upwardly from bearing element 38 on pin 32. Shaft 60 is in alignment with rod 44 on pendulum element 42. Flag staffs 61 and 62 are secured in any convenient fashion to shaft 6t Staffs 61 and 62 extend from shaft 64 in a plane parallel to the pivotal path of rod 44. These stafis are inclined at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with the vertical longitudinal axis of shaft 69. Flags 64 and 66 are secured to staffs 6i and 62 respectively. The flags are preferably of rigid material and should also dwell in the same vertical plane as rod 44 on pendulum element 42. Flags 64 and 66 should be of different colors, and are at right angles to their respective staffs.

The normal operation at my device is as follows: The pendulum element 42 is normally in the vertical position shown in FIGURE 1. In this position, the flag staffs 61 and 62 are in an inclined position. One team will grasp the free end of rope 56 and it shall be their goal to exert a pulling force on the rope to rotate the pendulum 42 so that the flag staff 61 will assume a vertical position. The other team will pull on the free end of rope 58 in an effort to move flag staff 62 to a vertical position. As the forces are being exerted outwardly on ropes 56 and 58, these forces are transmitted to the pendulum element 42 through pulleys 52 and 54. The pendulum element 42 is free to rotate on pin 32, depending on which force is greatest. No friction is created between the pendulum element and the ropes because of the rotational action of the pulleys 52 and 54. As shown in FIGURE 5, when one team which is pulling on rope 56 is able to overcome the pulling efforts of the other team, and the pendulum element 42 is rotated so that the flag stall 61 is in a vertical position and the flag 64 is in a horizontal position, the team pulling on rope 56 will be declared the winner.

From the foregoing, it is seen that my device will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my playground device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms or structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be "reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a playground device,

a frame structure adapted to rest on a supporting surface and having an elevated top portion and includ-' ing four poles having upper and lower ends,

an elongated member operatively pivotally secured by one of its ends to the upper ends of said poles and normally extending downwardly therefrom,

a bracket on the lower end of said elongated member having opposite ends, a pulley rotata'bly secured to each of said opposite ends of said bracket,

a first horizontal barconnecting the lower ends of one pair of poles of said four poles,

a second horizontal bar connecting the lower ends of the other pair of poles of said four poles,

a first rope having'one of its ends secured to the center of said first horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around one of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards its point of beginning,

and a second rope having one of its ends secured to the center of said second horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around the other of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back toward its point of beginning.

2. In a playground device,

a frame structure adapted to rest on a supporting surface and having an elevated top portion and'includ- 9 ing four poles having upper and lower ends,

an elongated member operatively pivotally secured by one of its ends to the upper ends of said poles and normally extending downwardly therefrom,

a bracket on the lower end of said elongated member having opposite ends, a pulley rotatably secured to reach of said opposite ends'of said bracket,

2. first horizontal bar connecting the lower ends of one pair of poles of said four poles,

a second horizontal bar connecting the lower ends of the other pair of poles of said four poles,

a first rope having one of its ends secured to the center of said first horizontal bar, and thence ext-ending towards and around one of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards its point of beginning,

a second rope having one of its ends secured to the center of said second horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around the other of said pulleys on'said bracket, and thence extending back toward its point of beginning,

and a pair of signal "means affixed to the uppermost p'o'rtio'n of said elongated member to indicate its various positions of pivotal movement. I

3. Ina playground device,

a 'fram'e structure adapted'to rest on a supporting surface and having an elevated top portion and includingfour poles having'upper and lower'ends,

an elongated member operatively pivotally secured by one of its ends to theupper endsof said poles and normally extending downwardly therefrom, V

a bracket on the lower end of said elongated member having opposite ends,

said elongated member passing substantially through the oenterof said bracket and at a right angle to the longitudinal axisof said bracket,

a pulley rotatably secured to'each opposite outward end of said bracket'with respect to said downwardly extending elongated member,

atfirst rope having oneof'its'e'nds secured to the center 7 of said first horizontal 'bar, and thence'extendin'g towards and around one of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards the 4. center of said first horizontal bar and terminating at a point outwardly of said first horizontal bar,

a second rope having one of its ends secured to the center of said second horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around the other of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards the center of said second horizontal bar and terminating at a point outwardly of said second horizontal bar,

and a signal means connected to said elongated member to indicate its various positions of pivotal movement,

said signal means being comprised of a flag means secured to the upper end of said elongated member.

4. In a playground device,

a frame structure adapted to rest on a supporting surface and having an elevated top portion and including four poles having upper and lower ends,

an eiongated member operative'ly pivotally secured by one of its ends to the upper ends of said poles and normally extending downwardly therefrom,

a bracket on the lower end of sa-idrelongated member having opposite ends,

said elongated member passing substantially through the center of said bracket and at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said bracket,

a pulley rotatably secured to each opposite outward end of said bracket with respect to said downwardly extending elongated member,

a first rope having one of'its ends secured to the center of said first horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around one of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards the center of said first horizontal bar and terminating at a point outwardly of said first horizontal bar,

a second rope having one of its ends secured to the 'center of said second horizontal bar, and thence extending towards and around the other of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back towards the center of said second horizontal bar and terminating at 'a point outwardly of said second horizontal bar,

and a signal means connected to said elongated member to indicate its various positionsof pivotal movement,

said signal means being comprised of a pair of flag starts secured to the upper end of said elongated member,

and flag elements on each of said flag staffs,

said flag staffs dwelling in the pivotal plane of said elongated member and extending upwardly and out- Wardiy away from said elongated member.

5. In a=playground device,

a firame structure adapted to rest-on a supporting surface and having an elevated top portion,

said frame structure including four poles having lower and upper ends,

the lower ends of said poles being spaced apart so as to define corners of a rectangle,

the upper ends of said-poles extending upwardly and inwardly towards each other,

said top portion on said frame structure including means for securing the upper ends of said poles to gether,

a first horizontal bar connectingthe lower ends of one pair of poles of said four-poles,

a second horizontal bar connecting the lower ends of the opposite pair of poles of said four poles,

an elongated member pivotally secured by one of its ends to the top portion of said frame structure and normally extending downwardly there rom,

a bracket on the lower end of said elongated member,

a pulley rotatably secured to each opposite end of said bracket,

5 6 a first rope having one of its ends scanned to the center References Cited by the Examiner of said first horizontal bar and thence extending UNITED STATES PATENTS towards and around one of said pulleys on said 4 A bracket, and thence extending back towards its point :IT'II: of begmnmg 5 1,572,281 2/26 Fry 272-79 and a second rope having one of its ends secured to 2,435,768 10/49 Penis 273 1 Ihe center of said second horizontal bar, and thence 2,334248 4 59 Tenney 273 79 X extending towards and around the other of said pulleys on said bracket, and thence extending back DELBERT LOWE Primary Examiner towards its point of beginning. 10 JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner. 

1. IN A PLAYGROUND DEVICE, A FRAME-STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO REST ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE AND HAVING AN ELEVATED TOP PORTION AND INCLUDING FOUR POLES HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, AN ELONGATED MEMBER OPERATIVELY PIVOTALLY SECURED BY ONE OF ITS ENDS TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THE POLES AND NORMALLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, A BRACKET ON THE LOWER END OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS, A PULLEY ROTATABLY SECURED TO EACH OF SAID OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BRACKET, A FIRST HORIZONTAL BAR CONNECTING THE LOWER ENDS OF ONE PAIR OF POLES OF SAID FOUR POLES, A SECOND HORIZONTAL BAR CONNECTING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE OTHER PAIR OF POLES OF SAID FOUR POLES, A FIRST ROPE HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS SECURED TO THE CENTER OF SAID FIRST HORIZONTAL BAR, AND THENCE EXTENDING TOWARDS AND AROUND ONE OF SAID PULLEYS ON SAID BRACKET, AND THENCE EXTENDING BACK TOWARDS ITS POINT OF BEGINNING, AND A SECOND ROPE HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS SECURED TO THE CENTER OF SAID SECOND HORIZONTAL BAR, AND THENCE EXTENDING TOWARDS AND AROUND THE OTHER OF SAID PULLEYS ON SAID BRACKET, AND THENCE EXTENDING BACK TOWARD ITS POINT OF BEGINNING. 